Meta’s AI training tool for employees may spark new EU privacy concerns | Tech News
Meta’s AI training tool for employees may spark new EU privacy concerns | Tech News
Publish Date: 2026-06-01 07:56:00
Source Domain: www.business-standard.com
Meta is reportedly planning to collect detailed records of US employees’ computer usage to train its AI models, a move that could have broader privacy implications. According to a Reuters report, the initiative may draw the company into another privacy dispute in Europe.
The tool, called the Model Capability Initiative (MCI), is currently deployed on devices used by US-based employees and is intended to collect data on how people perform tasks across software applications.
However, Reuters reported that Meta has acknowledged the system could also capture communications involving employees outside the United States, including those in the European Union, potentially raising questions under the bloc’s strict data protection rules.
What is Meta’s AI training initiative about?
According to Reuters, Meta launched the Model Capability Initiative as part of a broader effort to develop AI agents capable of performing software tasks autonomously.
The company has reportedly told employees that the system collects information about how people interact with computers, including mouse movements, clicks, menu navigation and workflows across different applications.
Reuters reported that the tool tracks activity across more than 200 apps and websites. Meta said the objective is to understand how people use software so future AI agents can learn to perform similar tasks independently.
In a statement to Reuters, Meta said the tool is installed only on devices used by US employees and focuses on computer interactions rather than the content displayed on screens. The company added that it had assessed and mitigated privacy risks during the development and deployment of the system.
Who could be affected?
While Meta says the programme is targeted at US employees, Reuters reported that internal company documents suggest the scope may extend beyond them in certain situations.
According to an internal FAQ reviewed by Reuters,…
